Gran Canaria guide

Gran Canaria, along with Tenerife, is located in the centre of the Canary Islands’ archipelago. The island belongs to an area of the Atlantic Ocean, known as ‘Macaronesia’, which includes the Canary Islands as well as the archipelagos of Madeira, Azores, Cape Verde and part of Morocco. The nearest point on the African coast is approx. 210 km (131 miles) away, while Cadiz, the closest port on the European continent, lies about 1250 km (781 miles) north of Gran Canaria.

Gran Canaria has the biggest population of the islands in the Canarian archipelago (aprox.. 850 000 inhabitants in the year 2005), while also boasting the most important city in terms of population size and economic activity, namely Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. This is also the most cosmopolitan of the islands (especially the capital, being home to almost half of the population), which is what lends so many special traits to the island, finding expression in its open nature and cultural diversity.